ITVX Review (2026): Free Live Sports, ITV1–ITV4 Channels & Premium Pricing
Compare ITVX monthly plans, live sports channels, regional blackout rules, and supported devices.
ITVX Review: Verdict, Cost & Sports Coverage
WhereSports Editorial Desk • Audited October 2026
The Verdict
Our Verdict: Alongside BBC iPlayer, ITVX is an essential free streaming app for every UK sports fan. Even after losing the FA Cup and Tour de France to TNT Sports for the 2025/2026 cycle onward, its free tier still delivers 1080p 50fps streams of the Guinness Six Nations (including every England game), the new rugby Nations Championship, select Carabao Cup and EFL fixtures, England Lionesses and Men's internationals, over 100 days of ITV Racing, and ITV4's PDC Darts, World Snooker, and BTCC motorsport slate. Best of all, sports viewers can ignore the £5.99/month ITVX Premium upgrade completely—it does not remove ads from live channels and adds zero extra sports.
Best For
- Best for UK viewers who want free 1080p live streams of Six Nations rugby, Carabao Cup and England football, Cheltenham and Royal Ascot horse racing, PDC Darts, Snooker, and BTCC motorsport without paying a monthly subscription.
Pricing Reality
If you are downloading ITVX strictly for live sports, do not pay £5.99/month (or £59.99/year) for ITVX Premium. Every single live sport on ITV1, ITV4, and the ITVX pop-up streams is 100% free on the standard ad-supported tier, and upgrading to ITVX Premium does not remove commercial breaks from live television broadcasts. Premium only strips pre-roll and mid-roll video ads from on-demand drama/comedy box sets and unlocks the BritBox UK and StudioCanal archive. Also note a crucial regional quirk for viewers in Scotland: because STV holds the Channel 3 license across Central and Northern Scotland, entering a Scottish postcode on ITVX will often block live ITV1 sports simulcasts—Scottish viewers should use the free STV Player app for ITV1 matches instead.
Devices & Account Features
- Supported Devices: Available on Smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, iOS, Android, and Web browsers.
- Simultaneous Streams: Up to 2 concurrent streams per account (depending on tier).
- Cloud DVR & Replays: VOD Replays.
- Subscription Model: Direct digital sign-up with online account cancellation.
In-Depth Platform Analysis & Coverage
ITVX is the flagship streaming and live television platform of ITV plc, combining live 1080p 50fps simulcasts of ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, and ITV Quiz (which replaced ITVBe in 2025) with themed 24/7 FAST channels, event pop-up streams, and a massive on-demand box-set library.
While ITV's live sports portfolio underwent a major shakeup ahead of the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 seasons—losing the Emirates FA Cup to TNT Sports and the BBC, and ending its 24-year run broadcasting the Tour de France as Warner Bros. Discovery took exclusive UK cycling rights—ITVX remains a free-to-air powerhouse across ITV1 and ITV4:
• Rugby Union: Under its 2026–2029 Six Nations broadcast deal with the BBC, ITV1 and ITVX air 10 live Guinness Men's Six Nations matches every spring—including every single England fixture. ITV is also the exclusive UK free-to-air home of rugby's cross-hemisphere Nations Championship and simulcasts 7 live Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches per season (including the Premiership Final).
• Football: Through a free-to-air co-broadcast deal with Sky Sports running through 2026/2027, ITVX streams select live Carabao Cup ties (including a Semi-Final and the Final at Wembley) alongside selected EFL Championship, League One, and League Two matches. It also airs England Men's and Lionesses internationals, select free-to-air LaLiga fixtures, and co-shared coverage of the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship.
• Horse Racing, Darts, Snooker & Motorsport: ITV Racing broadcasts over 100 days of live British and Irish horse racing a year across ITV1 and ITV4—headlined by the Cheltenham Festival, the Grand National at Aintree, Royal Ascot, and the Epsom Derby. Meanwhile, ITV4 serves as the free-to-air home of major PDC Darts tournaments (UK Open, European Championship, Players Championship Finals, World Series Finals), World Snooker Tour events (Champion of Champions, Players Championship, Tour Championship), and full Sunday race-day coverage of the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC).
Every live channel and sports replay is 100% free with an email registration and a valid UK TV Licence, supporting up to 4 simultaneous streams per account.
What We Like (Pros)
- Completely free access to every live ITV1 and ITV4 sports broadcast and full-match replay—no credit card required
- Broadcasts 10 live Men's Six Nations games every year (including every England test) plus rugby's Nations Championship
- ITV4 delivers an unmatched free-to-air slate of PDC Darts majors, World Snooker Tour events, BTCC racing, and ITV Racing
- Generous 4-stream limit lets four people in your household watch different live channels or box sets at the same time
What to Consider (Cons)
- Lost live UK rights to both the Emirates FA Cup and the Tour de France starting in 2025/2026 (both moved to TNT Sports)
- Paying £5.99/month for ITVX Premium does not remove commercial breaks from live ITV1 or ITV4 sports broadcasts
- Scottish postcodes are blocked from watching live ITV1 simulcasts on ITVX in STV license regions (requiring the STV Player app)
- No live 4K Ultra HD or 5.1 surround sound feeds for marquee football or rugby finals, and requires an active £174.50/yr UK TV Licence
Subscription Packages & Pricing
Requires only a free email registration and a UK postcode. Unlocks live 1080p 50fps streams of ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, and ITV Quiz, plus all live sports pop-up feeds and catch-up replays.
- 100% of live ITV Sport broadcasts on ITV1, ITV4, and ITVX pop-up streams
- Live Six Nations Rugby, Carabao Cup, England football, ITV Racing, Darts & Snooker
- Up to 4 simultaneous streams across Smart TVs, consoles, web, and mobile
- Includes standard linear and on-demand video advertisements
Removes pre-roll and mid-roll video ads from on-demand movies and box sets, adds mobile offline downloads, and unlocks the BritBox UK and StudioCanal libraries.
- Ad-free viewing on all on-demand drama, comedy, and movie box sets
- Full access to the integrated BritBox UK classic television archive
- Offline downloads for on-demand shows on iOS and Android devices
- Note: Live ITV1–ITV4 channels still contain normal broadcast ad breaks
Prepaid annual subscription for regular entertainment viewers, saving £11.89 per year compared to paying £5.99 monthly.
- Everything in ITVX Premium Monthly for an effective £5.00/month
- Ad-free on-demand streaming plus BritBox UK and StudioCanal vaults
- 4 simultaneous streams and offline mobile downloads
- Note: Adds zero extra live sports over the free ITVX tier
What Leagues & Sports Can You Watch on ITVX?
Official broadcasting rights and live competition schedules carried by ITVX.
Live & Upcoming Matches on ITVX
Live sporting fixtures scheduled on ITVX carried channels and tournaments.
Recently Aired Matches on ITVX
Recent sports matches and tournament games previously broadcasted across ITVX channels.
Live TV Channels & Station Lineup
Official television networks and sports broadcast feeds carried by ITVX.
Where ITVX is Available
Select your regional sports TV hub to browse local channels and schedules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ITVX still show the FA Cup and Tour de France in 2026?
No. ITV's broadcast contract for the Emirates FA Cup ended after the 2024/2025 season (with live rights moving to TNT Sports and BBC iPlayer for 2025/2026 through 2028/2029), and ITV4's 24-year run airing the Tour de France ended after the 2025 race when Warner Bros. Discovery (TNT Sports / HBO Max UK) took exclusive live UK cycling rights for 2026 onward. Instead, ITVX now airs free-to-air Carabao Cup ties (including the Final), select EFL fixtures, and England internationals.
Do I need ITVX Premium (£5.99/month) to watch live sports on ITVX?
No. Every live sport on ITV1, ITV4, and the ITVX event streams is 100% free on the standard ad-supported tier. Furthermore, upgrading to ITVX Premium does not remove commercial breaks from live television channels—it only removes ads from on-demand box sets and unlocks the BritBox UK entertainment archive.
Why can't I watch live ITV1 sports on ITVX in Scotland?
In Central and Northern Scotland, the Channel 3 broadcast license is held by STV rather than ITV plc. If your account is registered with a Scottish postcode or connected from a Scottish IP address, ITVX will restrict live ITV1 streams (though ITV2, ITV3, and ITV4 still work). To watch live ITV1 sports like the Six Nations or England football in Scotland, download the free STV Player app.
Do I need a UK TV Licence to watch live sports on ITVX?
Yes. Under UK law, you must hold a valid UK TV Licence (£174.50/year) to watch any live television broadcast—including live sports on ITV1 and ITV4 via ITVX—regardless of whether you watch on a television, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Watching on-demand non-BBC box sets on ITVX after a broadcast has finished does not require a TV Licence, though BBC iPlayer always does.